Below is one of the 82 dogs we fostered for Dumfriesshire & Cumbria
Greyhound Rescue between July 2004 and the 5th December 2009.
On the
9th
December
2009 we became the SOUTH LAKES branch
of
the
Retired Greyhound Trust
for whom we are now
fostering.

Kelly

Arrived with us on Sunday 19th September 2004
Went to her new home on Sunday 14th November 2004

Kelly's arrival and a brief history

Kelly is a very friendly and playful greyhound brindle bitch weighing 59lbs (26.6kilos). She was born on the 28th May 2002 so she is just 2 years 4 months old.
She comes from the Dumfries and Galloway area and was retired from racing because of an injury to her back left leg, which makes her limp after she had been lying down, however, once up and going it doesn't seem to bother her much. She immediately got on well with Bobby and Indi and settled down in the back of the car with them for the long journey back to our home.
Kelly has now been spayed and her inoculations are up to date.

Kelly's Diary

20th September 2004After showing Kelly around the garden so she knows where to 'go' we showed her around the house and where her bed was. She was very nervous to begin with, running into every room and not settling at all so we put her on the lead and did the whole thing again at a more sedate pace. She managed the stairs with no problems and after her tea, which she gulped down we took her for a walk and a quick visit to the local pub, where she enjoyed people making a fuss of her but was quite nervous of all the new noises. When we arrived home she wanted to play with Bobby and Indi then settled on the sheepskin rug in the living room for the evening.
Kelly settled fairly quickly to her new bed last night but came into see us around 1.30am. It took about 20 minutes to settle her again but she then slept through till 7am when she decided enough was enough and came to see us by landing on the middle of our bed with a leap - she was just so happy to see us. She then had a small accident at the top of the stairs, which we think was through excitement or nerves but she managed to stop herself when we told her and she finished off out in the garden. During the middle of the morning she discovered the soft toys Indi plays with and ran around upstairs playing with them - she thought it was great fun and so did the other two as they joined her for a few mad minutes. She loves being cuddled and will come to you every now and again wanting one and, if she thinks you don't know she is there or you stop cuddling her too soon she puts her foot on your lap to remind you of her presence.
25th September 2004
Kelly has a very beautiful face, is loveable and very friendly, wants lots of cuddles and attention and loves to play with the other dogs and the squeaky toys, which she enjoys catching if you throw them to her. On the house training side we had a couple of 'accidents' during the first couple of days but she now goes the back door if she wants out, however, if you don't see or hear her she hasn't yet learnt she has to be more forceful in telling us. She sleeps well in her bed at night, no longer pounces on ours in the morning to greet us but stands by the side and says her excited good morning. She doesn't seem as nervous as she was in the first two or three days and at times is beginning to go at a slightly slower pace rather than wearing 'her pads out' - but then she is still young! We've taken her to the vet where she had her first injection, her leg examined and we made an appointment to get her spayed. Whilst there, she came face to face with a cat in a cage - at first she was frightened of it then carefully came closer to have a sniff and eventually the cat and her were touching noses - a good sign! She has met three small dogs so far and each time got very excited at their arrival, however, we held her back and approached the dogs at a much slower pace so when they did meet she just sniffed them and that was that. She loves running around the field chasing Indi but we are careful as to how much because of her leg and, since Jack arrived back, she now goes out in the garden without a lead and plays with the others. Yesterday was a beautiful day so it was spent mowing the grass and tidying the garden - she loved the freedom of being able to come and go from house to garden at will and sitting in the sunshine.28th September 2004
Kelly has been with us just over a week and has settled into our routine well. She sleeps well at night but still comes in to visit us too early in the morning, however, she now knows what 'go back to bed' means but as soon as the alarm goes off she's back (with the rest) and our day begins. When going for a walk she doesn't pull on the lead anymore (unless she is behind the others and wants to catch up). She is a a very sensitive dog and wants lots of cuddles, reassurance and the feeling of security because she still feels insecure when the normal routine is disrupted or she feels frightened. She is almost house trained - we say that because until tonight she was doing fine but she did a wee on the conservatory floor this evening and we are not sure why. She loves playing with her cuddly toys and has decided she likes the settee as much as the sheepskin rug in the living room, but there is a 'pecking' order for the settee, which she respects. When she does get the settee she just lies there watching us (Penny used to do the same) with her beautiful golden eyes. This afternoon she started sleeping on her back and when she looks at you, you just have to stroke her tummy, which she loves. She will be very difficult to give up to a new home as she is pulling at our heart strings already.30th September 2004
We took Kelly to the vet this morning to be spayed. Whilst in the waiting room a boxer dog decided to go for her but luckily its owner had a firm hold so no harm was done. Poor Kelly was frightened and backed well into me leaving her a little shaky for a while. Another vet gave her injured leg a thorough examination and found no swollen areas and she never yelped so they concluded it was either a muscle or tendon injury and rest (and time) is what was needed. When she came home from the vets she growled a warning to Jack and Indi to stay away but she allowed Bobby to sniff her stitches - perhaps it's because he's much older and she regards him as top dog! 5th October 2004
Kelly's operation made her rather quiet for a while but later the following day you wouldn't think she'd had anything done. She was back to her playful self but we insisted on carrying her up and down the stairs that first day even though she wanted to do it herself. Since then we have been trying to keep her calm, not letting her off the lead even in the garden and trying not to let the other dogs tease her into playing - because she would!! The operation has made her rather unsettled and we've had a couple of accidents so we changed her diet to wholly Burns Chicken and Brown Rice because her behaviour was similar to that of Penny before she settled down.
This afternoon we visited the vet who was pleased with her progress and she was fine when I left her in the car whilst I did a bit of shopping afterwards.10th October 2004
Kelly has really settled down over the past few days and her unsettling behaviour since her operation has disappeared, so much so we have been letting her wander freely into the garden where she's enjoyed sitting on the lawn in the sunshine. She is much happier about 'sleeping in' in a morning and doesn't come to visit quite as early. She now lies down and waits for her food with the others - her favourite spot is the carpet at the bottom of the steps leading out of the kitchen. We've had no accidents from her in the past few days and she now stands by the back door if she wants out. She has become more confident and loves sitting on the settee during the day because she gets it to herself. Sometimes she even gets chance on it in the evenings but has become so settled she is happy to go upstairs to her bed on her own for a while. We had to take Bobby to the vet on the 6th for an operation and she had to be left on her own with Indi and Jack twice that day whilst I had to take him and collect him again - she was fine. She's discovered maltesers and we caught her playing with an empty packet taken from a waste paper bin - she thought it a wonderful plaything - likewise scraps of paper and tissue along with one of Stuart's working shirts, which she took to her bed to play with! We've taken her into the local pub twice over the past few days and despite it being busy, the duke box on and people playing pool she just settled on the floor with the others and was as good as gold - a very different story to her first visit there. 13th October 2004
We had visitors last night and Kelly decided, for the first time, to do her 'guard dog' bit by barking at them as they came into the house. We gave her a cuddle and re-assurance and she soon realised they were friends and was quite happy with them in the house. This morning when our cleaners arrived she did the same again, and again after a bit of re-assurance she let them in and was fine in their company. Today she showed signs of being wary of the hoover for the first time and wanted to get past it fast. It was raining today and the conservatory door wasn't open for her to go into the garden so perhaps the last time they were here she just went out of the way but we never noticed or put the two together. 19th October 2004
On Friday afternoon Kelly went to her new home with a couple and small dog near Edinburgh. However, the following day we received a call asking to collect her because their family circumstances had changed and they could no longer keep her. She had been with them less than a day - poor Kelly. Arrangements were made to return her and we brought her home on Sunday afternoon. When we collected her she was very anxious and under stress then she went very quiet and 'clingy' for a while but this morning she seems more content and is helping to settle in our new foster dog 'Red' whom we collected the same day as her. When we got up this morning we found her asleep with her head on his back. 21st October 2004
Kelly and Red get on really well together and with a new dog around she's not the 'new girl' anymore and seems more settled - and cheeky! She loves sleeping on her back and feels confident enough to pick the prime spot on the settee in the evening before the others get the chance - its one of her favourite spots. The farmer has put a horse in the field next to the road where we have our daily walk and Kelly is fascinated by it. She goes up to the gate looking for it every time we pass and if the horse is there they sniff each other.
28th October 2004
We've been in the local pub a couple times over the past few days where she now just lays on the floor as Bobby and Indi does. Tonight a small girl was giving her a lot of cuddles and attention, which she thoroughly enjoyed. She still comes in to see us every morning when the alarm goes off but these days its a gentle good morning and a lick rather than the mad dash 'Oh I'm so glad you are still here' one we used to get. She attracts our attention by putting her foot up onto our lap if we are sitting down, or the back of our legs if we are standing up. She wanders lovely around the garden now and will sit on the grass in the sunshine whenever she can. Oh, I nearly forgot, she did something a bit mischievous this morning - she took Stuart's leather wallet off his bedside table and decided it was good for a chew. I happened to walk past their beds and wondered what she had, which was a good job, because the money and driving licence was a bit wet and soft but thankfully there were no teeth marks in the credit cards - the wallet, well that's a gonna so Stuart's getting his Christmas present early, which I'd already bought and it was in the shop having his initials engraved on it. I must admit, I had a job to stop laughing in front of her because Stuart's response was quite comical - especially as it was only yesterday he found Red busy chewing one of my old sandles - I wonder who taught who! 7th November 2004
We've been to Co. Wexford in Ireland for a week and Kelly coped with the change of environment extremely well. She travelled well in the car and stayed in the car on the ferry with the others, which was more than 3 hours long. When we came back to the car to drive off we found them all fast asleep together. We originally planned to stop in our usual place by the shore in Dublin to feed and toilet them but Kelly seemed quite frightened and overawed with the sea so we just toileted them and drove to another spot to feed them. When we arrived at the cottage she was a little unsettled for a while until she realised where her bed was and by the end of the evening she was flat out in front of the fire with the others. On the first day we took her to Duncannon Beach where she enjoyed a long walk along the sand on her lead and she showed no fear of the sea this time.
We walked along the beach most days but she remained on her lead as its not safe to let her off somewhere like this for some months, if not longer and then only with vigilance (time and her progress over the coming months will determine this - see born to run and bred to chase). She also enjoyed her walk around Woodstock Gardens where she was on a joint lead with Indi most time and behaved really well. All in all she coped well with the change of environment and routine but we did have a couple of accidents at the beginning, which we think was nerves and insecurity. This we have been told will diminish with time. 14th November 2004
This morning Kelly went to live with a lady and two other small dogs in Locharbriggs, near Dumfries and we wish her a long and happy life there.11th December 2004
We saw Kelly in Dumfries today because it was SADD Day (Save A Dumfries Dog Day) and a large number of Greyhounds were parading through the Town Centre - Kelly included. She immediately recognised us and gave Bobby and Indi a lick and us a big cuddle - she looked well.Christmas 2004
Received a letter saying Kelly had really settled in well and was being totally spoilt along with her two companions - they were all off to the 'Pooch Parlour' before Christmas for a special pre-Christmas treat. Wonder what Kelly thought of that!
28th May 2005HAPPY BIRTHDAY KELLY - 3 TODAY
12th July 2005Today we met up with Kelly and her owner and went with model Natalie Raper to Nunland Country Holidays at Lockfoot near Dumfries to do Kelly's 'Long Legged Beauties' Rescued Greyhounds Calendar 2006 photo. It was the hottest day of the year and everyone was struggling in the heat so the planned locations on the park were changed so pictures were taken in the shade and not in direct sun. Kelly looked really well and gave us all a lovely welcome. She was a little unsure of what was happening at first but soon settled into having her photograph taken with the model or lazing around on the grass under the trees with all her friends - Kelly is very photogenic and we got some beautiful photographs
of her. 20th November 2005
Today was the 4th annual Dumfriesshire Greyhound Rescue Fun Greyhound Show & Christmas Fayre at the Loreburn Hall in

In the garden
20th September 2004

In the garden
10th October 2004

Kelly on the 24th September 2004
(DCGR used this photograph
for their
car stickers)

Long Legged Beauties
Collection
'Just Greyhounds'
2007 CalendarThis picture of Kelly was taken on the
24th September 2004 and is the main
April picture in the calendar. View Calendar

In the garden
10th October 2004

In the garden
10th October 2004

In the garden
10th October 2004

In the garden
10th October 2004

10th October 2004

10th October 2004

At Nunland Country Holidays
Lockfoot near Dumfries
12th July 2005

. . . and again
12th July 2005

'Long Legged Beauties'
Collection
2006 Rescued
Greyhounds Calendar This picture of Kelly was taken on the
12th July 2005 with
Natalia Raper
at Nunland Country
Holidays
in
Lockfoot, Dumfries and
is the main April calendar shot View Calendar

Kelly in her new home
12th December 2004

Dumfries. We put up a stall selling the 'Long Legged Beauties' 2006 calendar and Becky Speed (July) and Britney-Lee (October) joined us to meet the press and sign calendars. We were so delighted to see Kelly walking towards our stall to say hello with her owner and Bobby and Indi gave her a lovely warm welcome. She looked really well and from her welcome she hadn't forgotten us. It was really lovely to see her again along with six of our other foster dogs and seeing the seven of them together with Bobby and Indi brought a lump to my throat and really made our day.28th May 2006HAPPY BIRTHDAY KELLY - 4 TODAY 19th November 2006
Today was the 5th annual Dumfriesshire Greyhound Rescue Fun Greyhound Show & Christmas Fayre at the Loreburn Hall in Dumfries. We set up a stall there selling the calendars, prints, Christmas and greeting cards from the 'Long Legged Beauties' Collection and Kelly was there with her owner. It's been 12 months since we last saw Kelly but when she saw us she recognised us immediately and gave us a lovely welcome. She was looking well and her owner says the injury to her back leg that caused her to come into Rescue in the first place has now healed and rarely bothers her anymore, which was lovely to hear.10th May 2007
Received a letter this morning from Kelly's owner letting us known Kelly was well, such a brilliant dog who was a joy and pleasure to have and admired by everybody. Sadly her companion Sandy the little Jack Russell passed away three days before Christmas and had been Kelly's owner's companion for thirteen years. As a new companion for Kelly her owner got a black greyhound and called him Bruce. Bruce arrived about four weeks ago straight from the kennels so is still settling in and getting used to living in a home. He is a big, gentle giant who is very affectionate and getting on well with Kelly and Tessa. 28th May 2007HAPPY BIRTHDAY KELLY - 5 TODAY 23rd December 2008
Received a Christmas card from Kelly's owner today letting us know that Kelly is doing fine but going a little grey around the muzzle. She is still the most loveable gentle dog anyone could wish for and gets on well with Bruce who is also a loveable boy but can sometimes be a bit naughty. 28th May 2008HAPPY BIRTHDAY KELLY - 6 TODAY 28th May 2009HAPPY BIRTHDAY KELLY - 7 TODAY Christmas 2009
We received a Christmas card letting us know that Kelly recently had 5 teeth removed and she is still a brilliant dog. Bruce has really settled and is a lovely dog - a big silly, but loveable lad. 28th May 2010HAPPY BIRTHDAY KELLY - 8 TODAY